Hebrews 2
Hebrews 2:1-18
1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.
6 But one testified in a certain place, saying: “WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF HIM?
7 YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND SET HIM OVER THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS.
8 YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 saying: “I WILL DECLARE YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN; IN THE MIDST OF THE ASSEMBLY I WILL SING PRAISE TO YOU.”
13 And again: “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” And again: “HERE AM I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.”
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Verses 14 & 15 really stuck out to me. “…so that through death, He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver those who through fear of death were throughout their lives subject to bondage.”
My study Bible has a section on these verses, and some thing that stuck out to me was, “Fear is still a form of faith, but it is faith in death. Death is the master fear on which all other fears are based..”
I know the devil cannot create, but he can imitate, and he can pervert. I had never thought about where fear came from, the devil didn’t create fear, he perverted faith into fear. So, if we are in fear, we are no longer in faith, and if we are in faith, there cannot be fear!
That is very encouraging Emma. Thank you.
For we “have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
My faith cancels my fear!
Thank you, Jesus, that by your death, you have brought the devil to nothing, and made him of no effect!(Heb 2:14)
Verse 8 says “You have put ALL things in subjection under his feet confirming His supremacy. Now I’m putting all things in subjection to man, He left nothing outside his control.
This, to me, has to do with ruling and reigning and taking our authority, walking in who we are in Christ. Nothing is left outside of His control when we operate in the place that God has called us to. It’s been given to us to walk in. To become skillful at. The more familiar we are with it the more we will walk in it. It’ll grow stronger within us.
As Pastor Steve spoke to us yesterday about participating in what has been provided for us, it becomes a part of us. We’ve been crowned with glory and honor to rule and reign!
There is a danger of falling away from the great treasure we’ve received in the truth from God’s Word. While there is a great impression of the things that appear to be high and lofty, things received from angels, this Word of Life in Christ has come from the One who became a man like us to defeat all powers of darkness and even death. Through our union with Him we have been positioned far above any power that would threaten. By conquering sin and death in the flesh of man, He acquired dominance over it, not just for Himself, but for all those who would ever occupy flesh. To be in Him is to be lifted out of any fear from that old dominance. With the removal of death as a concern, all other fears are rendered powerless to inhibit the movements of faith. In this amazing demonstration of love and mercy is the discovery of the Father’s heart – to never push away in condemnation, but to always embrace in the arms of the Master who has been there, done that in defeating temptation to fear and despair in any way. No, what we have in Him is not something to fall away from, but to run every more desperately into with confidence and hope.